Apparatus for packaging articles



1958 E. K. GUNDERSDORFF 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 17, 1955 r Feb. 4, 1958 E. K. GUNDERSDORFF 2,821,829

APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 17, 1955 INVENTOR Feb. 4, 1958 E. K. GUNDERSDORFF 2,821,829

APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES Filed Oct. 17, 1955 s Sheet-Sheet s F/GXJ /s /2 7 *I as I L l p4 33 I" 32 l mtz-zsm ifi INVENTOR 45 m F165 5 22 22 26 I 1 United States Patent APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES Edward Kenneth Gundersdorif, Baltimore, Md.

Application October 17, 1955, Serial No. 540,996

8 Claims. (Cl. 53--257) This invention relates to apparatus for packaging articles and, more particularly, to apparatus for facilitating the introduction of non-rigid articles and materials into a container. A

In packaging non-rigid articles and materials, such as foodstuffs, textiles, garments, paper napkins and the like, use is made of flexible, collapsible, bag-like wrappers or containers. In order to produce a package having an attractive appearance, the size of the bag is selected so that the article or material to be packaged fits neatly therein. It is often quite diflicult, however, to support a bag in an open position and insert non-rigid articles or materials into a bag-like container by hand, consequently, several devices have been developed for supporting a bag in an open position so that non-rigid articles and materials may be inserted therein without mussing or damaging the article or material during the packaging operation. Typical prior art bag holding devices of this general type are shown in Patents 2,597,364 granted to R. W. E. Nash, May 20, 1952, and 2,192,982 granted to F. H. Meendsen, March 12, 1940.

However, there are many places of business, such as laundries, where it is desirable to provide a packaging device which is adjustable to support bags or wrappers of difierent sizes. The prior art devices of this type employ a pair of opposed slotted supports for supporting bags of difierent sizes, typical devices of this type being shown in Patents 2,640,638 granted to C. T. Nichols, June 2, 1953, and 1,320,335 granted to M. Marx, Oct. 28, 1919. Such devices are not entirely satisfactory for the reason that the operator must open the bag almost to its full open position in order to thread the bag in the proper slots of the supports, and, further, it is a rather tedious and time-consuming task to thread one side of a bag into the narrow slots provided in the supports.

In view of the foregoing, the present invention is directed to a packaging device which is designed to receive articles or materials to be packaged and also is provided with bag supporting members which may be selectively positioned to suit bags of various sizes and resiliently mounted to permit easy insertion of the members into the bag, whereby the operation of packaging the article or material is accomplished with less difiiculty and with better results than has heretofore been the case.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for packaging articles and materials.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article packaging apparatus capable of receiving and supporting in open position various sizes of bag-like containers.

Still another object of the invention is to provide new and improved article packaging apparatus having an adjustable bag supporting member resiliently mounted to facilitate placing a bag over the members without changing the position of the adjustable member.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an article packaging device embodying certain features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the article receiving portion of the device shown in Fig. 1, but having a side cover removed to illustrate the internal mechanism of the device;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the bag holding portion of the device shown in Fig. l, but showing the parts in a diiferent operating position;

Fig. 5 is a partially sectional view taken along line 55 of Fig. 4; i

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the internal mechanism shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a partial vertical sectional view taken along line 7-7 for Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown an article packaging device having a base 10, made of any suitable rigid sheet or moulded material, such as plywood, to which is secured wall members indicated generally at 11 and 12. The wall members 11 and 12 are identical in construction except that wall member 11 is constructed to be mounted on the left side of the base 10 and wall member 12 is constructed to be mounted on the right side of the, base 10 as viewed in Fig. l. The wall members are positioned on the base 10 in parallel spaced relationship so as to form a channel-like body 13 designed to receive an article or articles to be packaged in a container in a manner hereinafter to be described.

Each wall member of the body 13 is a housing, made preferably of thin sheet material such as aluminum, which comprises an inner wall 15 having the upper portion turned over and outwardly to form a rounded flange 16 (Fig. 7) the right marginal portion turned outwardly thereto to form a tapered end wall 17, and the left margin of the inner wall turned back on itself at 18 to stiffen the left edge of the wall 15, as viewed in Fig. 5. Each housing also includes an end wall 20 secured to the inner wall 15 and the base 10 so as to form a vertical slot 21 between the edge 18 of the inner wall and the adjacent flange of the end wall 20, and a cover plate 22 (Figs. 1 and 5) removably secured to the base 10 and flange 17. The inner wall 15 of each housing is perpendicular to the base 10, and the end walls 17 and 20 increase in width as they extend from the flange 16 to the base 10 so that flanges 23 and 24 formed on the walls 17 and 20, respectively, extend beyond the edge of the base 10 (Fig. 4). An angle 25 is secured to the inner side of each end wall (Fig. 5) to form opposed grooves 2626. The cover 22, which is the outer wall of the housing, is inserted in the grooves 2626 at the base 10 and moved along the grooves until a lip 27 formed along the upper edge of the cover snaps over and engages a lip 28 formed along the inner side of the flange 16 (Fig. 7). A clip 30 is provided on the cover 22 for securing the cover to the base 10, and thereby holding the cover in position on the wall member.

An elongated, lower bag support, indicated generally at 32, is secured to the base 10 and the end walls 2020 of the body 13 so as to be a continuation of the base 10, and is provided with upwardly projecting flanges 33.33 which taper downwardly from the body into the flat surface of the support at a point near the outer or free end of the support, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The free end of the support 32 also is tapered slightly to facilitate insertion of the support into a bag or bag-like container. An upper bag support, indicated generally at 35, is pro-. vided with downwardly projecting flanges 136 -36 which la'tented Feb. 4, 1958 are tapered in the manner described for flanges 33-33, but having end portions which extendhorizontally beyond an upturned rounded handle 37 of the support into the vertical slots 21-21 provided in the end walls of the wall members 11 and 12. The width of the upper support is slightly less than that of the lower support 32 so that the flanges 36-36 may fit inside the flanges 33-33 when the support 35 is in its lowermost position.

A mechanism, indicated generally at 43' (Figs. 3 and 6), is provided in each of the wall members 11 and. 12 for maintaining the upper bag support 35 substantially parallel to the lower support and to adjustably hold it above the lower member in any one of a plurality of positions to suit various sizes of bags into which articles or materials are to be packaged. Since the mechanism provided in each housing is identical, it is deemed suflicient to describe in detail only the mechanism mounted in the housing 12 (Fig. 3). The mechanism 40 includes a link 41 pivotally mounted on left end of the member 12 at 42, and pivotally mounted at 43 to the end of the flange 36 projecting through the slot 21 of the housing 12. An elongated spring 45 has one end pivotally mounted to the flange 36 and the other end secured to a threaded rod 46 which extends through an aperture in the end wall of the housing and has an eye 47 on its free end. The spring 45 and the rod 46 are mounted on the flange 36 and the end wall 17 so as to be parallel to the link 41, and the spring is tensioned by turning the rod 46 until the tension is suflicient to hold the upper support 35 parallel to the lower support 32 as it is moved within the limits of the slots 21-21.

A U-shaped equalizing member indicated generally at 50 has its base portion 51 journalled in a groove 52 provided in the under side of the base 10 and the parallel legs 53-53 thereof, only one of which is shown in Fig. 6, projecting into the members 11 and 12 as seen in Figs. 3 and 6. Each leg 53 of the equalizing member 50 slidably engages a sleeve 55 pivotally mounted on the link 41 at 56, and index blocks 57-57 mounted on a support 60 secured to the base 10. Each index block 57 has a semicircular recess 61 to receive the adjacent leg 53 of the equalizing member 50. The support 60 is provided with parallel, elongated slots 62-62 by means of which the index blocks 57-57 may be selectively located on the support so as to engage the adjacent arm 53 of the member 50 and thereby maintain the upper bag support 35 above the lower member 32 a distance to suit a particular size bag to be used with the apparatus. Any suitable number of index blocks may be located on each support 60, there being four blocks shown in the drawings to illustrate that the bag supporting member 35 may be positioned to suit at least four different size bags.

Each support 60 is mounted on the base 10 so that it is inclined toward the end wall 17 of its respective wall member at such an angle that it is substantially perpendicular to the legs 53-53 of the equalizing member 50 when the legs rest completely in the recess of the second index block of each support 60, when counting upward from the base 10. The remaining index blocks are secured to their respective support with a single screw or bolt in order that they may be turned on the support so that each block is perpendicular to its adjacent leg 53 of the member 50. The inherent resiliency of the support is utilized to maintain the index blocks in frictional engagement with the legs 53-53 with sufiicient force to hold the bag support 35 in any one of its selected positions. The spring 45 of each mechanism 40 also is used to maintain the index blocks in frictional engagement with the legs of the equalizing member, due to the fact that each spring is positioned outside its adjacent support 69 (Figs. 3 and 6). This arrangement misaligns the spring between the end wall and the flange whereby the tension in the spring urges the free end of its adjacent support 60 inwardly toward the inner wall of the housing as it tends to assume a straight line position between the end wall 17 and the end of its respective flange 36 and thereby urges the index blocks tightly against the legs of the equalizing member. The index blocks 5'7-57 are mounted in staggered relationship on their respective supports, the lowermost block being secured to the support by suitable fastening means passing through the slot nearest the end wall 18, the next block being secured to the support by fastening means passing through the slot nearest the end wall 17 of the wall members, and so on for each succeeding block.

Since the mechanism 40, as described hereinabove, is identical for each wall member, it is obvious that this arrangement of the index blocks on their respective supports provides for individual adjustment of each opposed pair of blocks to obtain proper positioning of the support 35, and prevents the legs 53-53 from assuming a false position between successive blocks mounted on each support 60.

The apparatus described hereinabove is designed particularly to package laundered and starched articles, such as shirts, into a flexible, collapsible bag. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such use, as it is obviously applicable to the packaging of various kinds of soft, non-rigid articles and materials into various types of containers.

In packaging shirts, a cardboard frame 65, which is ordinarily foldable or collapsible, is opened or expanded and placed in the channel-like body 13, which is so designed that the frame fits neatly between the wall members 11 and 12. One or more shirts, indicated generally at 66, which have been laundered and starched under the same laundry mark or indicia, are placed within the open frame 65, it being understood that the frame 65 is selected in each instance which has a depth slightly greater than the total depth of the shirts to be packaged under the same laundry mark. The container support 35 is grasped by the handle 37 and moved upwardly until the legs 53-53 of the equalizing member 50 rest in an opposed pair of index blocks 57-57 which locate the support 35 slightly above the top of the frame 65. An envelope type bag 67 is selected to suit the number of shirts 66 positioned in the frame, and is placed over the bag supports 32 and 35, as seen in Figs. 2 and 4. The type of bag for which the supports 32 and 35 are designed is made in various sizes, it being well known that bags within the range of sizes most commonly used for packaging laundered shirts are equal in width but vary in depth from size to size. Such bags usually have their sides folded inwardly, and the bottom folded flat against one side so that the bag is in a folded or collapsed condition.

As previously stated, after the support 35 is positioned to suit the number of shirts positioned in the body 13, a bag of the proper size is selected for placing over the supports. To facilitate placing the bag over the supports 32 and 35, the support 35 is pivoted about 43 against the action of the spring 45 until the free end of the support 35 engages the free end of the fixed support 32. With the support 35 held in this position, the bag 67 is pulled over the supports until the bottom of the bag engages the end of the support 32. The support 35 is released, whereupon the spring '45 returns the support 35 to its normal position parallel to the fixed support 32 and thereby fully expands the bag 67. The frame 65 and the shirts positioned therein are transferred from the body 13 into the body 66 by simply sliding the frame and shirts along the bottom of the body and the fixed support 32 into the expanded bag. When the frame reaches the bottom of the bag the package is slidably removed from the supports and the open end of bag is closed and sealed in any suitable manner. The frame 65 placed within the bag prevents the shirts from being crushed when such packages are stacked upon each other on a rack prior to or during delivery.

While the above described use of this invention contemplates the use-of paper bags, it is to be understood that it may readily be used to package articles in substantially rigid containers, such as cardboard containers. Such containers are fabricated in the form of paper bags, and usually are supplied in a folded or collapsed shape. Additionally, the above described apparatus may be used for packaging new articles in envelope type cellophane containers, such as new dress shirts, T-shirts, sport shirts, and the like.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for packaging articles in a container, which comprises a body member designed to receive and maintain articles in position to be packaged in a container, a pair of elongated container supports secured to one end of the body to slidably receive a container, one of said supports being movable vertically on the body toward or away from the other container support, means for selectively positioning the movable support so that the supports may be spaced apart a distance corresponding to the size of a container to be placed over the supports, and means cooperating with the selective positioning means for normally maintaining the movable support parallel to the other support for each position of the selective positioning means, said parallel supporting means being so arranged that the movable support may be pivoted about the selective positioning-means so that the free end thereof may be moved toward the free end of the other support and thereby facilitate placing a container over the supports, whereby when the supports are maintained parallel to each other they hold a container positioned over the supports in an open condition so that articles may be slidably transferred from the body into the container.

2. An apparatus for packaging articles in a container, which comprises a channel-like body designed to receive and maintain articles in position to be packaged in a container, an elongated container support having one end thereof to one end of the body so as to be aligned horizontally with the bottom of the body, an elongated container support having one end thereof slidably engaging the end of the body above the fixed support so as to be movable vertically toward or away from the fixed support, means for selectively positioning the slidable support movable above the fixed support a distance corresponding to the size of a container to be placed over the supports, and means cooperating with the selective positioning means for normally maintaining the slidable support parallel to the fixed support for each position of the selective positioning means, one of said container supports being pivotally mounted on the body so that the free end thereof may be moved toward the free end of the other support and thereby facilitate placing a container over the supports, whereby when the supports are maintained parallel to each other they hold the container in a fully open condition so that articles may be slidably transferred from the body into the container.

3. An apparatus for packaging articles in a container, which comprises a channel-like body designed to receive and maintain articles in position to be packaged in a container, an elongated container support having one end thereof secured to one end of the body so as to be aligned horizontally with the bottom of the body, an elongated container support having one end thereof slidably engaging the same end of the body to which the fixed support is attached and movable vertically toward or away from the fixed support, means for selectively positioning the slidable support above the fixed support a distance corresponding to the size of a container to be placed over the supports, and means cooperating with the selective positioning means for normally maintaining the slidable support parallel to the fixed support for each position of the selective positioning means, said slidable support being pivotable with respect to the selective positioning means so that the free end thereof may be urged downwardly toward the free end of the fixed support and thereby fa- "6 cilitate placing a container over the supports, whereby when the slidable support returns to its normal parallel position it holds the container in an open condition so that articles may be slidably transferred from the body into the container.

4. An apparatus for packaging articles in a container, which comprises a horizontal base and upstanding longitudinal sidewalls forming a channel-like body designed to receive articles to be packaged, an elongated container support attached to one end of the channel-like body so as to be a continuation of the base of said body, an elongated container support slidably engaging the end of the body to which the fixed container support is attached, means pivotally mounted on the body for normally supporting said slidable container support parallel to the fixed container support as it is moved vertically toward or away from the fixed container support, said supporting means being yieldable so that the free end of the slidable container support may be pivoted about the supporting means to engage the end of the first support and thereby facilitate placing a container over the supports, and index means engaged by the selective supporting means for positioning the slidable container support above the first container support so as to fully expand a container positioned on the supports, whereby articles positioned in the channel like body may be slidably inserted in a container positioned over the supports.

5. An apparatus for packaging articles in a container, which comprises a channel-like body designed to receive articles to be packaged, said body having a pair of vertical slots in one end thereof, an elongated container support secured to the slotted end of said body so as to form a continuation of the bottom of the body, a container support positioned above the fixed support and having one end thereof slidably engaging the vertical slots in the body so as to be movable vertically toward or away from the fixed support, means pivotally attached to the end of the slidable support engaging the slots in the body for selectively positioning the movable support with respect to the fixed support so that the movable support may be spaced from the fixed support to suit a container of predetermined size, and resilient means attached to the slidable support and to the body for maintaining the slidable support parallel to the fixed support for each position of the fixed support as determined by the positioning means, said resilient means being arranged so that the slidable support may be pivoted about the selective positioning means so that the free end thereof may be urged downwardly against the action of the resilient means toward the free end of the fixed support and thereby facilitate sliding a container over the supports, whereby when the slidable support is returned to its normal position by the resilient means it holds the container positioned over the supports in an open position to receive the articles from the channel-like body.

6. An apparatus for packaging articles in a container, which comprises a body member designed to receive and maintain articles in position to be packaged in a container, an elongated container support secured to one end of the body so as to be aligned with the bottom of the body, an elongated container support slidable with respect to the end of the body to which the fixed support is secured and movable vertically toward and away from the fixed support, means for maintaining the slidable support parallel to the fixed support as it is moved toward or away from the fixed support, and means for selectively positioning the slidable support above the fixed support a distance to suit various sizes of containers to be placed over the supports, one of said supports being pivotable with respect to said body so that the free end thereof may be urged toward the other support and thereby facilitates sliding a container over the supports, where by when the supports are maintained parallel they expand the container as determined by the selective positioning 7. means and articles may be slidably transferred from the body into the expanded container.

7. An apparatus for packaging articles in a container, which comprises a channel-like body designed to receive articles to be packaged, an elongated container support attached to one end of the body so as to be aligned with the base of the body, an elongated container support slidably engaging the end of the body to which the fixed container support is secured and movable vertically toward and away from said fixed support, means connected to the body and to the slidable support for main taining the slidable support parallel to the fixed support as it is moved toward or away from the fixed support, and means for selectively positioning the slidable support above the fixed support a distance corresponding to the size of a container to be positioned over the supports, said parallel supporting means being yieldable so that the free end of the slidable support may be urged toward the fixed support and thereby facilitate placing a container over the supports, whereby when the slidable support is maintained parallel to the fixed support the container is fully expanded and articles may be slidably transferred from the body into the container.

8. An apparatus for packaging articles in a container, which comprises a channel-shaped body memberdesigned to receive and maintain articles in position to be packaged, said channel-shaped body having an elongated vertical slot in the same end of each vertical leg thereof, an elongated container support secured to the slotted .end of the body so as to be aligned horizontally with the inner surface of the bottom of the body, an elongated container support having one end thereof slidably engaging the vertical slots in the body so as to be movable vertically toward or away from the fixed container support, a pair of parallel members pivotably attached to the slidablc support and to the body for maintaining the slidable support parallel to the fixed support as the slidable support is moved toward or away from the fixed support, a U-shaped member pivotably mounted on the body so that the legs thereof extend obliquely upwardly and adjacent to the outer side of the channel-shaped body, said legs of the U shaped member being slidably and pivotably attached to one of the members of the parallel supporting means, and a plurality of individually adjustable detents engaged by the legs of the U-shaped member for selectively positioning the slidable support above the fixed support to suit various sizes of containers to be placed over the supports, one of said pair of parallel members being yieldable so that the one end of the slidable support may be urged downwardly toward the fixed support and thereby facilitate placing a container loosely over the supports, whereby when the slidable support returns to its parallel position it fully expands the container so that the articles may be slidably transferred from the body into the expanded container.

Nash May 20, 1952 Kohl Apr. 24, 1956 

